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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. SILL, Decd. E. M., A. H. & G. SILL, Executors. BREEGH LOADINGFIREARM.

No. 569,244. Patented Oct. 13, 1896.

ZQz iFneaaw m: Noam: PErzRs 0o. Moran-mo WASNINGTON, 0.1:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. SILL, Deod. E. M., A. H. & G. SILL, Executors. BREEGH LOADINGFIREARM.

' No. 569,244. Patented Oct. 13, 1896.

.5. VI d lgiinec'iaw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED SILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; EDWVIN M. SILL, ALFRED H.SILL, AND CLARENCE SILL EXEOUTORS OF SAID ALFRED SILL, DE-

CEASED.

BREECH-LOADING FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,244, dated October13, 1896.

Application filed March 30, 1893. Serial No. 468,278. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city and county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBreech-Loading Firearms, of which the following is'a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, ofwhich Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation in position for firing, theside plate of the breechframe being removed. Fig. 2 is a similar Viewshowing the position of the parts after firing. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal section in position for loading. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a sideelevation similar to Fig. 1, with the retaining-plate in place. Fig. 5is a section on line as m, Fig. 1. Figs. 6, 7, S, 9, 10, and 11 arecertain details, enlarged, of the mechanism detached.

This invention relates to that class of breechloading firearms whereinthe barrel is pivoted near its rear end on the breech-frame or anextension thereof and is broken or depressed on its pivot in order toinsert the cartridge.

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the constructionand operation of arms of this class, with the special view of providinga simple and efficient mechanism for cocking the gun by the act ofdepressing the barrel on its pivot in position for loading; also aconstruction whereby the several parts of the mechanism may be readilytaken apart and replaced by unskilled persons with ordinary appliances.

The invention also embraces certain details of construction which willbe hereinafter duly pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which represent that which Ibelieve to be the best construction of the invention, B is the barrel,which is pivoted in the usual manner on a pin a: in a forward extensiona of the breech-frame A.

F is the firing-pin, which is adapted to play longitudinally in anaperture in the transverse head C62 of the breech-frame, its rear endprojecting normally a short distance into the chamber 0 of the frame A,as shown.

This pin is retained in place and its play limited by means of ascrew-pin in the side of the breech-frame, the inner end of which pinenters a longitudinal slot in the side of said firing-pin. As thisconstruction is usual and well known I have not deemed it necessary toshow the same in the drawings.

E is a bolt, hereinafter termed the firingbolt, which is preferably ofthe form shown more clearly in Fig. 8 and carries a fixed cylindricalrod 6 Its front end is a block or head E, and the bolt is arranged toslide within the chamber 0. It is, as hereinafter explained, controlledby a normally open spiral spring 6 encircling the rod, the rear end ofsaid spring having a bearing against the front side of an angular pieceM, Fig. 9, and its forward end against the bolt-head E. In the underside of this bolt-head is a transverse notch or cutaway portion a.

O is a sear, which is adapted to slide about vertically in an aperturein the under side of the breech-frame.

T is the trigger, pivoted on a pin t and controlled by a fiat spring tthe rear end of which is held firmly by a set-screw t and its free endbears upon a ledge or offset 6 of the trigger. The end of theforwardly-projecting or short arm t of the trigger engages a notch o inthe side of the sear.

D is a dog pivoted at one end on a screw d on the under side of thebreech-frame in front of the lock-pin. This dog is' adapted to be swungaround so that its free end may come beneath the lock-pin when desiredto prevent the trigger from being drawn back, as hereinafter described.

P is a crank-arm pivoted on a screw-pin p in the lower part of thebreech-frame, the free end of which arm projects up through a slot intothe chamber 0 in front of the bolthead E.

His abar or lever, the forward end of which is pivoted on a pin h in adownwardly-extending lug 71 on the under side of the barrel, or rather aprojection b thereon. This lever lies in a space or chamber 1' betweenthe end of the barrel or its projection b and the extension a of thebreech-frame, while its rear or free end passes through an opening r inthe front wall of the breech-frame,leadin g into the chamber C, and isarranged to bear against an offset 19 of the crank-arm P.

V is a bent plate or bar adapted to slide within the chamber 0, and isslotted or bifurcated for some distance about midway, as seen in Fig. 6,the bifurcations passing on the side, respectively, of the firing-bolthead E. The lower part or limb t of this bar passes through an aperturein the front wall of the breech-frame, its end projecting normally ashort distance beyond the latter and registering with a socket v in theend of the projection b of the barrel. The upper limb o of the bar whichextends above and to the rear of the bolt-head E has an aperture 22 intowhich opens a lateral slot 11 as fully seen in Fig. 6.

"W is a thumb-lever, to the under side of which is fixed a stud w, whichhas at its free lower end a lateral projection 10 The stud is enteredinto the aperture 11 of the lockingplate, and the lug or projection 10occupies the slot 12 of said plate. The stud and thumblever are heldtogether when the parts are in position by means of a screw 10 whichpasses through the forward end of the lever and extends through anaperture in the top of the breech-frame.

(See Fig. 7.)

M is an angular or somewhat L-shaped piece (seen detached in Fig. 9)which is adapted to set in the rear of the frame, and has at the frontend of its upper or horizontal limb m a rod m which, when the piece isin position, projects toward the rear end of the upper limb of thebarrel-locking plate V. Upon the rod is a spiral spring m whose forwardend presses against and controls said locking-plate.

Having now described'the construction, I shall proceed to explain theoperation of the mechanism of my invention.

Assuming that the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 2 and it isdesired to load the gun, the barrel-locking bar V is first retracted outof engagement with the barrelsocket v by pressing aside the end of thethumb-piece WV, said bar being forced back against the stress of thespring m by the leverage of'the projection 10 against the side of theslot 0 Thereupon the barrel will turn upon its pivot by its gravity orby pressure of the hand, and it and the mechanism actuated by itsmovement will assume the positions shown in Fig. 3, as follows: Thefiring-pin F will be forced back and its rear end project into thechamber 0 by the end of the lower side of the barrel as it rises inturning on its pivot, impinging against the projecting rounded extremityof the pin. At the same time the lever H will be forced back and itsfree end in contact with the crankarm P causes the latter to push backthe bolt E-against the stress of the spring 6 The sear 0, then actuatedby the force of the trigger-spring 2?, through the connectionhereinbefore described, slides upand its end enters the notch or offset6 in the underside of the bolt-head E. The cartridge having beeninserted, the barrel is returned to the normal or horizontal position,as in Fig. 1, it being maintained in that position by the lockingbar V,the end of which has entered the socket of the lug b. If now the triggerbe drawn back, the sear 0 will be disengaged from the notch e the firingbolt head, impelledby the spring 6 will strike forcibly against thefiring-pin, and the cartridge be thereby discharged, and the parts willthen occupy the positions represented in Fig. 2.

WVhen it is desired to carry the gun cooked, in order to avoid danger ofdischarge by accidental retraction of the trigger, the safetydog D isrotated so that its free end will cover the lower end of the sear O,that is to say, the dog is shifted from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothat seen in Figs. 1, 3, and at.

As it is desirable that the several parts of a firearm should be capableof being readily and quickly removed and replaced for cleaning orremoval in case of wear or breakage, I have to this end devoted specialefforts toward devising a simple construction, whereby any one, howeverunskilled, with no tool other than a suitable knife or screw-driver mayso remove and replace the parts. This construction I shall proceed toparticularly explain.

The barrel-locking plate V, with its slot o? directed outwardly, thatis, as in the position of Fig. 6, is inserted within the breech-chamber,a laterally open slot a in the front wall of the breech-frame receivingthe end portion of said plate,as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The stud w isnow passed up through the aperture Q2, its arm 10 being entered into theslot Q75. The thumb-piece and the stud are secured together by the screww The firing-bolt with the spiral spring previously placed on its rod 6is then inserted, the upper part of its head being passed through theopening a), formed by the bifurcations of the locking-plate. The springm is now placed on the rod of the angle-piece M, and the latter isinserted laterally in and at the rear of the frame. A slot m in thevertical limb of said piece allows the passage of the end of the rod 6of the firing-bolt. At the same time the spring 6 on said rod e iscompressed so that its rear end bears against the inner face of theanglepiece. These parts are held in place laterally without interferingwith their action by means of a plate N, Fig. 4E, seen detached in Fig.10, and which I term the retainingplate. The forward end of the platerests in offsets n, Figs. 1 and 2, at the edge of the laterally openslot ai'which receives the end portion of the barrel-locking plate,while its rear end rests in an offset n in'th'e side edge of theangle-piece, Fig. 9. The loweredge of the offset middle part of thisplateN bears against the upper edge of that side of the firing-bolt. Aprojection n Figs. 4 and 10, near the rear plate S, Fig. 11, is nowscrewed on.

If desired, the retaining-plate and the side plate may be an integralpiece.

It will thus be seen that the several pieces of the mechanism may bereadily taken out when necessary, as for cleaning or replacing a brokenpart, the only tool required being a screw-driver or knife. For example,in case of a broken or defective spring it requires but a moment toreplace it.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown and described,as the same may be modified to a considerable extent without departingfrom the essential construction or principle of the invention. Forexample, by a slight change the intervening pivoted crank-arm P may bedispensed with and the end of the lever H bear directly against thefiring-bolt. The sliding pin 0 may also be omitted, and the short arm ofthe trigger be provided with a finger adapted to engage directly with asuitable notch in the firing-bolt in order to lock the latter whenretracted.

I do not broadly claim as new in breechloading firearms a combination ofmechanism whereby the hammer or firing-pin is automatically locked bythe depression of the barrel.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a breech-loading firearm, the combination ofthe firing-bolt having the raised head, and the rearwardly-ext-endedrod, the bent lock-plate bifurcated or slottedto receive the said head,the vertical an gle-piece M having a forwardly-extended rod at the upperend, said piece having its Vertical limb slotted at one edge to receivethe rod of the firing-bolt, a spring seated upon the said rod andbearing against the angle-piece, and a second spring seated upon the rodof said angle-piece and bearing against the said locking-plate, togetherwith means for retracting said bolt and plate against the action of thesaid spring, and for holding said bolt retracted and subject to theaction of the trigger, substantially as specified.

2. In a breech-loading firearm, the combination with the breech-frameopen at the side, the pivoted barrel, the detachable firingbolt, itsspring, the barrel-locking plate, the angle-piece carrying a spring forsaid locking-plate and forming an abutment for the spring of thefiring-bolt, and the side retaining-bar, of the bar H pivoted to theunder side of the barrel and arranged at its rear end to act upon saidbolt to retract it as the barrel is depressed, together with means forholding said bolt retracted, subject to the action of the trigger,substantially as specified.

3. In a breech-loading firearm the combination of the breech-frame openat the side, the detachable firing-bolt carrying the spring, thebarrel-locking plate, the angle-piece carrying the spring, whichoperates the said locking-plate and the side retaining-bar, allconstructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALFRED SILL. \Vitnesses:

JOHN R. NOLAN, H. ALFORD Boees.

